OpenMowerOS

Based on CustomPiOS

This repository contains the official OpenMowerOS image for running the OpenMower project.

Currently this is based on the latest RaspberryPi OS with the following changes:

• Comitup opens a WiFi hotspot if no known network can be found. Connect to it with any device to connect the robot to your network.

• podman fetches the latest version of the open-mower software and runs it for you automatically.

• OpenOCD is installed with GPIO support, so you can flash your pico's firmware from the Pi4

• socat allows you to redirect your Ardusimple to u-center for configuration

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Important Information

• hostname: openmower

• username: openmower

• password: openmower CHANGE IT! (use passwd for that)

• ssh: enabled on port 22

• hotspot SSID: OpenMower-<somenumber>

• default hotspot password: OpenMower

• mower_config.txt: Is in the /boot directory and can be edited with any PC after flashing the SD card

• mower_version.txt: Is in the /boot directory and can be used to select the version to run.

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How to Get Started

Required

1. Burn the latest image available to an SD card.

2. Open the SD cards boot partition and there the openmower folder.

3. Edit the hotspot.txt file to configure the fallback hotspot. Change the password and remember it!

   You find a hotspot.example in there too.

   On boot the system will apply the settings and rename the hotspot to hotspot.settings-applied.

4. (Open the openmower_version.txt and read its explanation.)

5. Edit the mower_config.txt file:

   • check for the latest revision of that file here.

   • if the files differ apply the newest changes.

   • add your changes to that file.

6. Eject the card, put it in the mower (do not close the mower yet) and turn it on.

7. After a short time the hotspot wifi should appear - connect to it.

   • Once you are connected to the hotspot you default browser should automatically open and you should see the wifi configuration webpage:

     

   • Click on your home wifi and fill in you password.

   • The hotspot will disappear and the mower should connect to your wifi

8. Check your router for the mowers IP address (and optionally set a static one)

9. SSH to your mower (the default credentials are above)

10. Change you password! (passwd)

11. If you have mower_config.txt and openmower_version.txt configured you can now start openmower by executing sudo systemctl start openmower

    • on slow SD cards the first start can take ~10min +

12. check if everything runs fine by accesing the logs sudo podman logs -f openmower

13. If everything works you can set openmower to run at boot sudo systemctl enable openmower

• If you later want to edit mower_config.txt it is located on the pi at /boot/openmower/mower_config.txt

Optional

• theoretically there is an auto update feature for podman but is it not tested yet

For logs check

• sudo systemctl status openmower

• sudo journalctl -u openmower (add -f to keep it open and it will update - Ctrl + C to exit)

• sudo podman logs openmower (add -f to keep it open and it will update - Ctrl + C to exit)

For ROS specific commands (e.g. rostopic echo)

Use sudo podman exec -it openmower /openmower_entrypoint.sh /bin/bash to access the ROS enviroment and then use your command (e.g. rostopic echo)